Page 41 - Demo

41%u201cNone,%u201d answered the Beast. %u201cIf she comes at all, she must come willingly. On no other condition will I have her. See if any one of them is courageous enough and loves you enough to come and save your life. You seem to be an honest man, so I will trust you to go home. I give you a month to see if any of your daughters will come back with you and stay here, to let you go free. If none of them is willing, you must come alone, after bidding them goodbye forever, for then you will belong to me. And do not imagine that you can hide from me, for if you fail to keep your word, I will come and fetch you!%u201d added the Beast grimly.The merchant accepted this proposal though he did not really think that any of his daughters would be persuaded to come. He promised to return at the time appointed, and then he asked permission to set off at once. But the Beast answered that he could not go until the next day. %u201cThen you will find a horse ready for you,%u201d he said. %u201cNow go and eat your supper and await my orders.%u201dThe poor merchant, more dead than alive, went back to his room, where the most delicious supper was already served on the little table drawn up before a blazing fire. Too scared to eat much.